Hope Has A Place
by Erzsebeth Bathory
Summary: He thought he wanted his beautiful princess of darkness, but he ultimately fell for the little red witch.


**Disclaimer:** _The Vampire Diaries_ is copyright © L.J. Smith and all others associated with legal rights.

**Author's notes:** Hello, this is my very first attempt at a VD fanfic. This story is based on the books, not the TV series (which I love BTW) and it pairs Bonnie and Damon. Hopefully I didn't go too OOC with either of the characters. Please let me know what you think of this story. I appreciate any C&C because it'll hopefully help me improve my writing.

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><p>"Hope Has A Place"<p>

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><p>Her face flushed with joy when he suddenly pulled her into his embrace. Her tiny, delicate frame was pressed against his lean body and his arms were wrapped around her in an almost possessive manner, but he was careful not to crush her. God, she was so feeble and so remarkably intense at the same time. She was arguably as strong as he was in terms of power and yet here she was clinging to him as if he were her anchor. To an outsider, they might have appeared like lost lovers finally reunited.<p>

_My darling red bird,_ Damon thought as his senses rapidly flared to life, though it wasn't because he had a visible view of her long, subtle neck. It was because Bonnie was here; she summoned him to this isolated location, and with the awkward pleasantries out of the way, she blurted out:

_I love you, Damon._

She was no Elena and she would never be Elena. No, no, no… Bonnie was different. The little witch had her own spell-binding beauty and charm that made her worlds apart from her friend. She was so innocent and honest to a fault compared to Elena's experience and pride. Surely he had always longed for Elena to be his princess of darkness and he would have given her anything she desired. He always believed himself to be better suited for her than his little brother. But as the months went on, Elena was very stubborn and adamant on wanting to remain with Stefan. At the same time, Damon found himself being drawn to Bonnie and wanting to rescue her before anyone else.

When she was in danger, Damon was the first person she Called for help. He was apparently always first in her mind, in her time of need: not Elena, not Meredith, not Mutt, not even Stefan... but Damon.

Out of all of the pathetic humans he associated with, it was his precious bird whom he would willingly reach out to first. If he was feeling generous, he'd throw a bone for the others. Besides, the stupid look on Mutt's face was always entertaining.

It only took Damon time to realize it, but when he did, he could no longer deny the sensations he felt whenever Bonnie was with him. He didn't dare admit it to himself until the very end when he grasped how much she had seen within him, past his good looks and arrogance, beyond his dark and selfish nature. Little by little, she awakened the nurturing and caring side of him, a humane part of him he thought he'd long ago abandoned. He thought he could fight the forgotten feelings he deemed weak and pathetic. But Bonnie, sweet Bonnie, just had to be true to herself around him: gentle, passionate, loyal…

He wanted to believe she needed him as much as he desperately needed and wanted her.

His heart swelled with pride when she looked up at him with those wide brown eyes, knowing that she wanted no one else but him. There was no younger sibling to consider or powers-that-may-be to object to their union. Her friends were another story, but he could give a damn about their feelings. The important thing was, was that she only wanted him.

At long last, she asked him, "How do you feel… about me?" She was like a child asking a parent if she could play outside.

He smirked as he used his thumb to brush her soft pink lips that were slightly parted. Her breathing was ragged with anticipation and she looked like she was ready to pounce on him like a playful kitten.

"How _would_ you like me to feel about you, little songbird?"

"Please Damon, don't tease me!" Anxiety crossed Bonnie's face as she pulled away and wrapped her arms around her small chest. She took a few steps back and tilted her head back so that her eyes were staring up at the gray skies above. "What if something terrible happens right now before I can find out? What if… what if we get attacked by someone with great Power? What if another creepy monster from across the globe wants to kidnap Elena? What if another old vampire...!"

Damon's handsome face suddenly appeared in her immediate view but upside down (at least from her position). Wordlessly he captured her lips with his in a deep, sensual kiss despite the strange angle. Poor Bonnie felt lightheaded from not only the hunger behind the kiss but at the strange angle her body was positioned. She felt herself falling down and she shrieked, closed her eyes, and was prepared to feel the impact of the fall.

Of course she never reached the ground because Damon effortlessly caught her in his arms.

"So much a damsel in distress," Damon teased as he carefully stood Bonnie upright but with his hands firmly resting on her petite shoulders. When she dared to open her eyes again, she found him searching her face as if studying her for the very first time; not as a predator, but as someone who was truly looking to find some answers. She couldn't help but feel inferior compared to him.

"I want to do my best to not be a burden to you," Bonnie admitted weakly as she played with a lock of her curly hair. Tears were ready to spill down her cheeks but she did her best to keep a brave face. "Even though I freak out at times and I slow everyone down..."

"Stop it," Damon abruptly hissed as he squeezed her shoulders just slightly, forcing her to look up at him. "Don't ever doubt yourself. You have proven yourself to everyone time and time again. Elena knows this. She wouldn't ask for your help if she didn't believe in you. None of your friends would seek you out if you weren't trustworthy. _Bella donna,_ you are precious."

_You are too precious and I feel complete when I am with you,_ he also wanted to confess, but his stubborn nature refused to let those words slip. He felt it was good enough that Bonnie knew what he had all ready admitted to her and what he had shown her. Perhaps over time, he would really open up to her. For now, he didn't want to scare her off. He wanted this relationship to work. It would be one of the few stable things in his life that wasn't chaotic and which made him feel genuinely good.

With one hand, his fingers traveled from her shoulders, up along her neck, until they rested underneath her chin. Shuddering from the ticklish sensation, Bonnie blinked away the tears, lifted her own hand and clasped his until their fingers intertwined. She let out a soft giggle which brought out the loveliness of her face and made the vampire hunger - not for her blood, but for her tender caress.

"Besides," Damon added in a low, sultry voice as he leaned forward and slanted his face down until his lips were just mere inches away from hers. "When you are in trouble, I never mind coming to _your_ rescue. You are never a burden, _passerotto mio..."_

_Bonnie... My sweet red maiden... You are the one I have been waiting for._

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><p><em>Look to love<em>

_you may dream,_

_and if it should leave_

_then give it wings._

_But if such a love_

_is meant to be;_

_Hope is home, and the heart is free._

- Enya


End file.
